Timepiece



Jan. 26, 1965 e. H. ADAMSON 3,166,889

TIMEPIECE Filed Feb. 27. 1961 60 g I l INVENTOR. 36 .Ge0 rye .wzidafl/ Z0 A /4/ /V BY United States Patent ()fiice 3,166,339 llMElPlEfiE. George H. Adarnsnn, Douglas, Aria, assigner to Kenneth J. Kohanzo, Deeriield, ill. Filed Feb. 2'7, 1961i, No. 91,912 4 Claims. (Cl. Si -57) This invention relates generally to timepieces and especially to portable timepieces of economical manufacture.

Conventional timepieces incorporate two, time-indicating arms or hands which are mounted on concentric shafts to be driven at substantially different speeds. One arm, the minute hand, is usually driven at a twelve-times faster rate than the other arm, the hour hand. Such arrangements require fairly complex and intricate mechanisms or movements, especially if the timepiece is reduced to a size that permits ready portability and transport in a persons pocket or purse. These requisitely complex and intricate movements inherently result in rather costly products.

Therefore, an important object of the present invention is to provide a timepiece of simple construction.

A more general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved timepiece.

Another object of the invention is to provide a timepiece that is susceptible of low cost manufacture.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structure, materials and arrange.- ments whereby the above objects are attained.

A timepiece in accord with the invention includes a molded, resinous plastic case including an integral, transparent crystal element; support means in the case; a dialface on the support means behind the crystal ele ment, the dialface having a center and twelve hourindicating indicia thereon spaced radially from the center at equal, angular intervals, the dialface further having progressively radially stepped, quarter-hour-indicating indicia between each adjacent pair of hour-indicating indicia; a pin extending rotatably through the support means and through the dialface at the center; a single time-indicating arm on one end of the pin in cooperative relationship with the indicia; a slotted setting knob on the other end of the pin exposed for resituating the arm; a mainspring; and gear means and an escapement mechanism transmitting energy from the mainspring to the pin for rotating the pin at a precise, incremental rate, the gear means including a plurality of similar gear clusters.

The invention, both to its structure and mode of operation, will be better understood by reference to the following disclosure and drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a timepiece constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the timepiece shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged View taken through the section 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a View taken through the section 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4, showing in particular the arrangement of the setting knob, the winding knob and the mainspring barrel.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIGS. 1 and 3, a timepiece indicated generally by the numeral 19 will be seen to include a case 12, a dialface 14 and a support structure 16. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the case 12 comprises an annular wall portion 13 and a transparent crystal element 26. The wall I 3,iili,8 Patented Jan. 26, 1955 portion 18 and the crystal element 29 are advantageously formed into an integral unit as by a plastics molding operation. A number of the commonly commercially available, resinous plastic materials have proved suitable for use in fashioning the case 12, among these being the methyl methacrylate and polystyrene molding resins.

The wall portion 18 of case 12 is provided with bevelled edges 22; and advantageously, an annular shoulder 24 is formed axially inwardly of the crystal element in order to space the dialface 14 from the crystal element. The dialface 14 may comprise a separate element made of thin metal, paper or cardboard. It also may comprise a background and contrasting indicia printed, lithographed or painted on the exposed face of a front plate 216 of support structure la. in any event, the dialface 14 is supported on plate 2-6 and is held in contact with the annular shoulder 24 by means of the plate 25. The support structure 16 additionally includes a back plate 28 which is maintained in spaced relationship with the front plate by means of spacer elements 39.

With particular reference now to FIG. 1, the dialface 14 will be seen to include twelve, hour-indicating indicia 32 which are spaced radially from a center 34 of the dialface at equal, angular intervals. The hourindicating indicia 32 are shown as being consecutive, Arabic numerals; but it is to be recognized that other suitable indicia may also be used. According to an important feature of the invention, four quarter-hourindieating indicia 36 are provided between each adjacent pair of the hour-indicating indicia 32. Advantageously, the quarter-l1our-indicating indicia 36 comprise progressively radially stepped areas of a color contrasting with the background of the dialface. Each of the steps in the indicia 36 occupies a similar angular interval; and while the stepped indicia 36 are shown as being of progressively increasing radial etxent in a clockwise direction proceeding radially inwardly from a circle 38, other progressively radially stepped configurations may be equally well employed In accordance with another important feature of the invention, a single, time-indicating arm 49 is arranged to traverse the dial'face 14 for purposes of indicating the time of day. As will be recognized, the time of day may be ascertained by noting which of the hour-indicating indicia 32 is clockwise immediately prior to the arm 4!? and by noting in which of the quarter-hour-indicating indicia the arm 4-0 reposes. This procedure gives the precise hour and quarter-tour whereas finer readings can be made by estimation.

Returning to FlG. 3, the arm 4% will be seen specifically tired to one end of a shaft or pin 42 that extends rotatably through the support structure 16 passing through a central aperture in the dialface 14 whereby to permit arm id to operate freely in the space between the dialfaee 14 and the crystal element 29. The pin 4-2 is grippingly received in a tubular bushing that extends between the plates 26 and 28, as is particularly well shown in FIG. 5. The bushing 44 is fixed to a spur gear 45; and when the spur gear 46 is driven in a manner which will be described more fully hereinafter, the frictional or fitting engagement of the pin 42 in the bushing causes the pin and thereby the arm it to be driven in a like manner. However, the frictional or gripping engagement between the bushing 44 and the pin 4-2 is not so great that it cannot be overcome for purposes of setting the position of the arm 49, as for example may be desired when the timepiece has stopped and is being restarted. Accordingly, a diametrically slotted setting knob 48 is secu ed to the otherwise free end of the pin 42, knob 43 being disposed externally of the case 12 for ease in resituating the arm 49. The diametric slot in knob 48 facilitates resituation 3 of the arm 4% using the edge of a coin or the end of a persons fingernail, for example.

The energy for driving arm 40 is stored in a mainspring 52, shown in phantom outline in MG. 4. Che end of the mainspring 52 is secured to a pin 54 that is mounted between the plates as and 2d. The other end of mainspring 52 is secured to the Wall of a housing or barrel 56, the barrel 56 being rotatable relative to the pin 54. The pin s itself is rotatable relative to the plates 26 and 28 and has a spur gear 58 secured to it adjacent the back plate 28, as is shown in FIG. 5. The gear 58 meshes with another spur gear tit which is fastened to a winding knob 62 by means of a tubular member 64, the winding knob 62 having knurled and beveled surfaces 66 for convenience in manual Winding of the mainspring 52. It is to be noted that the tubular member is concentric with pin 42 radially spaced apart therefrom in order to permit independent operation of the setting knob and the winding knob 62. Advantageously, a rachet arrangement, not shown, arrests rotative motion of the lmob 62 in the direction associated with an unwinding motion of mainspring 52 in order to permit storage of energy therein.

Another spur gear 68, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is secured to the barrel 56; and this gear as meshes with a pinion '74) of a gear cluster indicated in FIG. 4 by the numeral '72, gear cluster '72 also including a spur gear 74 and a pin or staff 76. Both the pinion gear 769 and the spur gear '74 are secured to the stafif '76. The spur gear '74 meshes with a pinion gear '78 of a second gear cluster 8t? which also includes a spur gear 32, gear 82 being afiixed to a staff $4 in common with the pinion gear 78. Spur gear 82 meshes with a pinion gear 86 of a third gear cluster 88. Gear cluster 88 also includes a spur gear 9t and a staff 92, staff 92 being connected to both the pinion gear 36 and the spur gear 9-9. The three gear cluster, clusters 72, 8t} and 88, form a speed-multiplying train or" wheelwork. Furthermore, the gear clusters '72, 8t and 8 incorporate spur gears all of the same size and all possessed of the same number of gear teeth. Likewise, the three gear clusters incorporate pinion gears all of the same size and all of the same number of teeth. The train of wheelwork thus developed has proved highly efhcient in operation and of considerable economy in manufacture.

The spur gear 9%) meshes with a pinion gear $4 that is attached to a shaft 96. Shaft 96 carries a duplex escapement 98 which is of conventional structure comprising two sets of teeth, an inner set of teeth for comm nicating the impulses and an outer set of teeth for locking the escapement Wheel by pressing on the notched roller 19!) of a balance wheel 102. The escapernent 9S delivers energy from the mainspring 52 to the balance wheel 102 by means of impulses in a conventional manner; and as will be recognized, other types of escapements may be substituted for the duplex escapement 93. The balance wheel Hi2 vibrates in conjunction with a hairspring 104 to regulate the movement of the timepiece, hairspring 194 being aiiixed at one end to a post 1% secured to rear plate 28. The other end of hairspring 194 is secured to a staff tea on which the balance wheel 102 and the roller 1% are mounted.

As the balance wheel 102 and the escapement $8 cooperate to release the energy stored in mainspring 52 in uniform impulses, the barrel 56 is caused to rotate in corresponding angular increments; A spur gear 11% is aflixed to barrel 56 as is shown in FIG. 5; and this gear 110 meshes with gear 46 to drive the time-indicating arm 40.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the timepiece will be seen completed by means of a back element 112 which is held in place by formed-over edges 114- of wall portions 18. The formed-over edges 114 can be developed in the case 12 during initial molding, in which circumstance the back element is snapped into A. place in assembly of the tirnepiec Alternatively, the back element 112 can he slipped into the case l2 and the edges 114 formed thereafter as by 1. eans of a heated tool. it is to be recognized that the securing of the back element 112 in place also holds the support structure 16 and the dialface 14 in place against the shoulder 24.

The back plate 23 is advantageously fashioned with an opening or window 116, shown in PEG. 2, for purposes of exposing a portion of the balance wheel 1&2 to view. Desirably, back element 112 is fashioned from transparent material or is fashioned with an opaque material having a correspondingly shaped transparent area 118.

it has been found that a reduction in the noise level of the movement of timepiece It) can be achieved by forming a number of parabolic indentations 112% in the back element 112, the indentations opening into the case as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Furthermore, while the crystal element 2% has been shown as a generally fiat disc, it may be advantageously formed with a slight curvature in order to provide pressure resistance.

The manner in which the present invention may be practiced and the purposes to which it may be put will become evident from the foregoing descriptions.

The specific example herein shown and described should be considered il ustrative only. Various changes in the structure may occur to those skilled in the art; and these changes are to be understood as forming a part of this inention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A timepiece comprising: a molded case including an integral transparent crystal element; support means in said case; a dialface on said support means behind said crystal element, said dialface having a center and a plurality of hour-indicating indicia thereon spaced radially from said center at equal, angular intervals, said dialface further having quarter-hour-indicating indicia between each adjacent pair of said hour-indicating indicia; a pin extending rotatably through said support means and through said dialface at said center; a single, timeindicating arm on one end of said pin in cooperative relationship with said indicia; a slotted setting knob on the other end of said pin exposed for resituating said arm; energy storing means including a mainspring; a winding knob concentric with said pin and exposed for winding said mainspring; and gear means and an escapement mechanism transmitting energy from said storing means to said pin for rotating said pin at a precise, incremental rate.

2. A timepiece comprising: a molded case including an integral, transparent crystal element; support means in said case; a dialface on said support means behind said crystal element, said dialface having a center and a plurality of hour-indicating indicia thereon spaced radially from said center at equal, angular intervals, said dialface further having quarter-hour-indicating indicia between each adjacent pair of said hour-indicating indicia; a pin extending rotatably through said support means and through said dialface at said center; a single, time-indicating arm on one end of said pin in cooperative relationship with said indicia; a setting knob on the other end of said pin exposed for resituating said arm; energy storing means; and gear means and escapement mechanism transmitting energy from said storing means to said pin for rotating said pin at a precise, incremental rate, said gear means including a plurality of similar gear clusters.

3. A timepiece comprising: a case of molded, resinous plastic material including an integral, transparent crystal element; support means in said case; a dialface on said support means behind said crystal element, said dialface having a center and a plurality of hour-indicating indicia thereon spaced radially from said center at equal, angular intervals, said dialface further having progressively radially stepped, quarter-hour-indicating indicia between each adjacent pair of said hour-indicating indicia; a single, time-indicating arm mounted to rotate about said center in cooperative relationship with said indicia; energy storing means; gear means and an escapement mechanism transmitting energy from said storing means to said arm for rotating said arm at a precise, incremental rate; and a back element closing said case and having a plurality of parabolic indentations opening into said case.

4. A timepiece according to claim 3 wherein said support means and said back elements have matching portions of transparent nature for exposing at least part of said escapement mechanism to view.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 1,072,554 9/13 Windsor 5s 127 1,331,163 2/20 Menns 58- 46 1,489,296 4/24 Zaiden 5s-53 1,712,648 5/29 Campbell 58-534X 1,807,497 5/31 Speciale 58 126 2,224,421 12/40 Aaron 5s-91 2,645,077 7/53 Olson 58-85.5 2,779,154 2/57 Maurer 5s s0 2,927,421 3/60 Dicke 5s 109 10 2,970,426 2/61 Kottmann 58-56 FOREIGN PATENTS 777,473 6/57 Great Britain.

a LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, H. R. MOSELEY, LEYLAND M. MARTIN, Examiners. 

1. A TIMEPIECE COMPRISING: A MOLDED CASE INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL TRANSPARENT CRYSTAL ELEMENT; SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID CASE; A DIALFACE ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEHIND SAID CRYSTAL ELEMENT, SAID DIALFACE HAVING A CENTER AND A PLURALITY OF HOUR-INDICATING INDICIA THEREON SPACED RADIALLY FROM SAID CENTER AT EQUAL, ANGULAR INTERVALS, SAID DIALFACE FURTHER HAVING QUARTER-HOUR-INDICATING INDICIA BETWEEN EACH ADJACENT PAIR OF SAID HOUR-INDICATING INDICIA; A PIN EXTENDING ROTATABLY THROUGH SID SUPPORT MEANS AND THROUGH SAID DIALFACE AT SAID CENTER; A SINGLE, TIMEINDICATING ARM ON ONE END OF SAID PIN IN COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID INDICIA; A SLOTTED SETTING KNOB ON THE OTHER END OF SAID PIN EXPOSED FOR RESITUATING SAID ARM; ENERGY STORING MEANS INCLUDING A MAINSPRING; A WINDING KNOB CONCENTRIC WITH SAID PIN AND EXPOSED FOR WINDING SAID MAINSPRING; AND GEAR MEANS AND AN ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM TRANSMITTING ENERGY FROM SAID STORING MEANS TO SAID PIN FOR ROTATING SAID PIN AT A PRECISE, INCREMENTAL RATE. 